1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to albums in which photographs or art work are stored for ready viewing. In particular the albums contain adhesive means which can be used to temporarily hold the photograph or art work in the album.
2. Background of the Art
Photographs and art work, particularly childrens' art work, have been stored by people in albums. The photographs have been stored in albums by securing the photographs to the individual pages of the album. The securement has been accomplished on plain paper page albums by applying liquid adhesive to the back of photographs, applying adhesive tape which extends over a portion of the picture and onto the album page, and double-sided pressure sensitive adhesive tape behind the picture in a strip. Some albums have been made which contain their own means for securing the photographs. This has been done by preapplying pressure sensitive adhesive to the pages of the album (usually with a plastic strippable protective layer over the adhesive which is removed, the picture inserted, and the plastic strip overlaid on the secured picture). Tabs have also been provided which can be adhesively secured onto the pages to hold the corners of the photograph. Each of these methods have achieved some level of success, but each has problems associated with the particular method or materials used.
Some of the methods (e.g., the adhesively secured tabs and direct application of liquid adhesive) permanently adhere the photograph to the paper so that it can not be removed without damaging the photograph and/or the paper in the album. The use of pressure sensitive adhesive can suffer from a similar problem. The properties of the pressure sensitive adhesive can change with time because of solvent loss, chemical reaction, oxidation, or other changes in the adhesive. The changes in properties usually result in an increase in adhesion, and often a change to more permanent adhesion. Additionally, even when conventional pressure sensitive adhesives are used, the initial adhesion can be sufficiently strong so that the removal of the photograph can damage the paper or the photograph.
The use of an album with an overlying plastic sheet on each page reduces the apparent quality of the images by placing a glossy plastic film over the art work. Reflections off the surface of the film causes glare and other effects which reduce the viewable quality of the art work.
Repositionable stick or liquid adhesive is commercially available, such as POST-IT.TM. Repositionable Adhesive products (3M). The application of such repositionable adhesives can offer the benefit of removability and reduced potential for damage to the paper or the photograph. However, when it is applied to the paper, the adhesive remains on the paper and prevents rearranging of the configuration of the photographs and/or art work, unless one chooses to leave adhesive exposed in various areas. Additionally, the application of adhesive manually allows the user who is less than precise in his/her application of amounts and locations of adhesive the opportunity to leave exposed areas of adhesive even in the first application of pictures in an album.
Two-side coated adhesive tapes are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,387,593; 2,565,509; 4,582,737; 4,917,783; and 4,770,914 describe various constructions, configurations and compositions of two-side coated adhesive tape. Repositionable adhesives are also known in the art, and the prefered adhesives according to the present invention are those within the scope disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,731.